Draco Malfoys new interest
by Dana6
Summary: OK, so there is a new DADA teacher, he and his daughter come to hogwarts. i didn't like my previous attempt at this story so i changed it.plz read!
1. Default Chapter

Breath of fresh air from Down Under  
  
Chapter1. 1st impressions  
  
Clarissa Delaney took one final look at herself in the mirror supported on her door before she left her hotel room. She was wearing a pair of olive green baggy cargo pants, her favourite Docks and light blue tank top. Her elbow length auburn hair was pulled loosely back in a ponytail. She didn't think of herself as a stunning girl but she didn't think she was exactly ugly either. She had eyes the colour of the sea, blue-green: except when she was sad and they would turn bluer in colour. Also from growing up in a sunny continent she had light freckles across her cheeks and a slight tan. She always hated her freckles and the fact her skin couldn't go honey brown like all her friends. She assumed it was the Irish blood in her that made her pale. Clarissa was always worried about how she looked and though first impressions were extremely important. She was more worried then usual because she was starting at her new school today. She had transferred from her school in Australia so that she could be with her father who was teaching at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Clarissa wasn't sure if having her father on staff at the school would make the transition easier or worse.  
  
She was pulled out of her train of thoughts when she heard a knocking at her door. 'Clarissa hunny, you almost ready the train leaves in close to half and hour and it takes twenty minutes to get to the station' her father, Lionel Delaney called through the door  
  
'Sure Dad I'll be out in second' Clarissa called back. She then walked over to the door and called to her father who was making breakfast in the kitchen 'couldn't get a hand with my trunk could I?' Her father looked up from the dishes he was drying and smiled.  
  
'Eat your breakfast while I take it down to the taxi, be quick though because he's already charging for the cab fare' her dad said as he passed her in the hall way to get her trunk from her room.  
  
Clarissa sat down to two pieces of toast with jam and a glass of apple juice. She wasn't really fond of toast but decided she'd get it down as quick as possible with her juice. Once she was finished she did a once over to check the room was cleared of all their belongings before they left. She found one of her Fathers shoes under his bead and her toothbrush still in the bathroom.  
  
As she walked out of the hotel room she couldn't help but feel nervous. In less then half an hour she'd be catching a train amongst her to-be fellow students and would see little else but the school grounds for a year.  
  
They arrived at Kings Station with 10 minutes to spare. Lionel Delaney Had already been informed on how to get onto the platform 9 ¾ . he told Clarissa what to do to get onto the platform and she looked at him in a sceptical way.  
  
'Don't believe me? Ok, watch instead, but be sure when you do go not to draw attention to yourself, the Muggles might get worried if they see people disappearing into the barrier'.  
  
Clarissa watched as her father walked directly towards the wall between the 9th and 10th platform, expecting him to crash into it. But instead he walked straight through as he said he would. She pushed her trolley with her trunk on it in front of her figuring if she couldn't get through it would take most of the blow. But instead of crashing into the wall as she expected she went right through just as her father had done. She was now on a different platform that was filled with people in all different types of clothing. Some wore black robes with the Hogwarts coat of arms on them and other wore normal clothing.  
  
'Never seen a sight like this in Australia eh?' said her father's voice to the side of her. He seem more captivated by the whole scene then Clarissa was.  
  
'Its amazing, this has to be more then triple the amount of people we had in school back home' she said  
  
'Mmm much more then triple, well Clara I need to get a few things sorted, why don't you go find yourself a compartment you can leave your trunk with me' her father said as he was searching the platform.  
  
'How will you know where to find me? The trains huge' Clarissa asked  
  
'Well I'll see you when we get to Hogwarts' her dad explained  
  
'You aren't sharing a compartment with me? She asked again  
  
'Um no, sweaty I doubt you want your Dad hanging around whilst your making new friends' he chuckled 'no I think I'll go upfront with the driver'  
  
'Alright, well, I'll see you when we get there I guess' she said and kissed her father on the cheek before heading off to the train.  
  
She stepped into the train and looked around, down the narrow passage there seemed to be a numerous amount of compartments all with sliding doors. Clarissa had never been on a train before and didn't know really what to expect of one. For the second time that day somebody interrupted her thoughts. A man behind her cleared his throat impatiently and said 'if you wouldn't mind unblocking the passage miss' his words were polite but in the manner he spoke them Clarissa thought him to be quite rude. She turned around and managed a small apology but as she did another voice cut in  
  
'Apologise Martin, that's no way to speak to a lady', said a tall pale boy with blonde hair and silver eyes as he steeped into the passageway. Much like the first man, this one had said something that most would consider polite, even gentlemanly, but it was said with such an air that Clarissa wondered if he meant it. Wether he meant it or not didn't seem to matter once she took a proper look at him. He was extremely good-looking.  
  
*Pity* she thought, *the gorgeous ones always seem to know how good- looking they are, this one certainly does* 'No its fine' she said offhandedly, hopping that she could brush off this guy and find some one else to talk to.  
  
'Are you new here' he asked, leaning against the side of the train and giving her a once over.  
  
*Egh, what a sleaze* she thought  
  
'Um yeah' she said looking around her, trying to find any escape rout. If all else failed she'd even resort to the "having to find my father" excuse.  
  
'We don't usually get new students here' the boy said mater-of-factly  
  
'Yeah well I just transferred' she said shortly. *Ok so I think I'll have to go for the last resort here*  
  
'Oh from Buexbatons or Durmstrang?' he asked interestedly  
  
'Um neither, I went to a school in Australia called Marshals' she explained *Why am I still here, I should just say I have to go, and go. what's wrong with me? *  
  
'Never heard of it, but you say its in Australia, that's probably why.' He smirked as he said the last words, as if she were beneath him.  
  
*Get more arrogant, ok I'm getting out of here now, this guy is certainly not worth the time*  
  
But before she could say anything there came a screeching noise and a lot of chatter from behind the boy. Three students had entered the train. One was a tall boy with freckles, red hair and had a cage with a tiny owl in it, the other boy had black hair, glasses and was carrying a cage with a larger owl in it and the girl accompanying them was pretty with brown curly hair and was carrying a ginger cat.  
  
'Malfoy!' exclaimed the red haired boy  
  
'Weasley' retorted the blonde  
  
'You're blocking the passage get lost' the dark haired boy said with a clear trace of venom The girl with them looked from Clarissa to Malfoy back again to Clarissa then said 'are you new here?'  
  
Clarissa thanked the Gods for the perfect timing. The last thing she wanted to do was let the arrogant blonde in on the fact that the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher was her father. And now, with any luck she wouldn't have to. 'Yeah I've just transferred'  
  
'Is he bothering you' the red haired boy asked  
  
Clarissa looked towards Malfoy briefly and slyly replied 'No, not yet  
  
Malfoy was glaring daggers at the three newcomers. He was slightly surprised by the nerve of this girl. Under usual circumstances he'd be nothing short of pissed off with what she had said. But for some reason her words struck not anger inside him but curiosity. Here was a girl in a situation which many would dread to be in (not knowing anyone), who was clearly confident and would stand up for herself, as subtle as it may come across. Though he did sense something else, doubt was it? Oh this girl certainly had him perplexed, and what a turn-on that was. There is nothing worse then a person you can read like a book. That was something he prided in himself, he could emit one persona and be thinking something entirely different.  
  
'Calm down boys we were only', he looked towards Clarissa 'talking. Frankly there are more respectable people I could be with right now so if you'll excuse me.' He said arrogantly as he turned to go. He paused next to Clarissa and said more quietly yet no less arrogantly 'Nice to meet you' and gave her a small wink and strode off.  
  
'Can you believe that slimy git' the red haired boy said  
  
'I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasly and Harry Potter' said Hermione  
  
'Yeah and that was Draco Stuck-up Ferret Malfoy' Ron said  
  
'Stuck-up Ferret?' asked Clarissa  
  
'Yeah he's as Stuck-up as they come and makes a good ferret' Harry said. All three laughed. Clarissa assumed it was a personal joke. They all got a compartment and spent the whole trip telling stories about the students and people at Hogwarts especially Draco Malfoy. Clarissa found herself disliking him more and more as each story was told, but something in the back of her mind wouldn't let her forget how he had said quietly to her 'Nice to meet you'. It was almost sexy. Almost. 


	2. chapter 2

Breath of fresh air from Down Under  
  
Chapter 2:  
  
The train pulled up at the Hogsmead station after dark and everybody filed off the train. Clarissa had changed into her robes on the train and it seemed so had everyone else. Hermione told Clarissa she needn't worry about her trunk because the house elves would take care of it.  
  
They all got into carriages pulled by invisible horses. Clarissa was in awe, there was nothing like this in Australia.  
  
'So Clarissa, do you know what's happening with you going into a house?' Ron asked  
  
'Nope, but I really don't want to be in Slytherin' Clarissa said 'I hope I get in Gryfindor with you guys though' she said  
  
'I wonder if you'll get sorted with the first years' Hermione thought out loud  
  
'Sorted?' Clarissa asked  
  
'Yeah it's a ceremony, its how they determine which house you go in, you'll see when we get there.' Ron said  
  
The carriages came to a stop and everyone got out and headed towards the entrance hall. It was a cloudless but crisp night and the moon provided sufficient light that the lanterns were unnecessary. They then filed into the Great hall and sat at the house tables. Clarissa decided she'd sit with Hermione, Ron and Harry. She caught the eye of her father at the head table and waved to him.  
  
'Do you know the knew Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?' Harry asked  
  
'Yeah, he's my Dad' Clarissa said  
  
'You didn't tell us that' Hermione said as she turned to look at the new Professor  
  
'Well, I don't really want to publicise it, the less people that know the better I reckon' she said  
  
The doors to the Great Hall opened once again and a middle-aged witch wearing green robes lead a group of first years to the front of the Hall. Not long after Clarissa found out what the sorting was and wondered if she was going to have to go through that process or maybe she could just stay in Gryfindor seeing as she was already seated at their table. However when the last first year was sorted into her house (Ravenclaw) Professor McGonnagal did not take the sorting hat away. An elderly man stood up and asked for silence in the hall. Everyone was hungry and impatiently waiting for their meals to appear before them. Clarissa assumed this must be Dumbledor the headmaster of the school.  
  
'I would ask you all for your patience for a few more minutes as I would like to introduce to you our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Delaney.' He gestured to Lionel Delaney and there was a polite applause from the student and teacher body. 'Professor Delaney has travelled a long way to us from Australia with his daughter Clarissa.' A few heads turned to look at Clarissa and she moved uneasily in her seat ('so much for not wanting to publicise it' Ron said quietly to Harry). 'And therefore I believe we have another sorting to take place. Clarissa if you wouldn't mind.'  
  
Clarissa got up slowly aware that the wholes schools eyes were on her she looked self-consciously around her and saw Draco Malfoy staring intently at her. It made her uneasy, more so then being stared at by the entire student body. How could he do that? She shook herself mentally. There was no way she wanted Malfoy to know he had any effect on her and as of yet he didn't know he did. She stepped up to the stool and sat down. The sorting hat was placed on her head and she heard a little voice in her ear. 'Interesting.. hmmmm I think it will be.. GRYFINDOR!' the hat called out.  
  
Clarissa sighed with relief whilst the whole of Gryfindor applauded and took off the hat and gave it to Professor McGonnagal. She went and sat back down with her friends not noticing the look on Malfoy's face. Although if she had, she would have noted a certain trace of annoyance.  
  
**~~**  
  
At breakfast the next morning they were given their timetables. Clarissa briefly looked over her timetable the put it aside and kept eating.  
  
'Hey, we don't have Care of Magical Creature with the Slytherins anymore' Harry said happily  
  
'Yeah were with Hufflepuff, that'll be good' Ron said  
  
'Oh no, we may not have Care of Magical Creatures with Slytherin but now we've got Defence Against the Dark Arts with them' Hermione said annoyed  
  
'What? We don't usually have Defence Against the Dark Arts with anyone, maybe there's a mistake' Ron said hopefully  
  
'I doubt it, looks like they decided to combine us for that one.' Harry said mournfully  
  
'Hey come on guys it cant be that bad' encouraged Clarissa  
  
'You'll change your mind after first period, 'cause we got potions' Hermione said dryly  
  
**~~**  
  
Weeks went by and it turned out the classes with Slytherins were as terrible as Ron Harry and Hermione made out to be. Clarissa was getting used to the differences of Hogwarts but still got lost occasionally in the halls and was occasionally late to some classes. But all in all she was finding Hogwarts to be lots of fun. Her new friends constantly made her laugh and her and Hermione had become great friends. Clarissa got he feeling Hermione like having some female company.  
  
As much fun as she was having, she was still feeling homesick. Her Father had told her it would get easier, but at the moment it was just getting worse. She could barely pass an hour without thinking of something back home. And recently she had noticed that there was this feeling growing inside her, it was painful yet small. Thankfully its size allowed her to ignore it easily, but she had an inkling it wouldn't be ignored forever. However, she promised herself she would go on pretending it was not there, so that no one would be much the wiser to her feeling homesick. The last thing she wanted from people was pity.  
  
It was the forth week of term and Clarissa and Hermione were going over their Transfiguration homework at breakfast and Harry and Ron were discussing Quidditch. Clarissa had never seen a game of Quidditch before but shed read about. She and Hermione were so engrossed in their homework that Clarissa didn't realise when 5 owls swooped down and dropped something heavy behind her. It was only the thud that the parcel made on the groun that made her draw attention to it. It was a big bulky parcel that was wrapped in brown paper. She went to pick it up but failed to do so because it was so heavy. I was then that she realised what it was. Her punching bag. Many people had turned their heads trying to see what the huge parcel was.  
  
'What on earth is that?', asked Ron  
  
'Its my punching bag', beamed Clarissa  
  
'What's a punching bag?', Ron asked again  
  
'Well think about it Ron, Punching Bag, what do you think it is' Harry teased  
  
'You mean it's a bag you punch or something' Ron asked  
  
'Pretty much, but how come you have one' Hermione asked  
  
'Back home I used to do kick boxing but it wouldn't fit in my trunk so we put it into storage. Dad must have sent for it' just as the words came out of her mouth she looked up to the head table at her father. He gave her a big smile then kept talking to Professor Flitwick.  
  
'So open it' Hermione said  
  
'I reckon I'll open it up in the dorm, I think I'll have to levitate it up there' Clarissa said with a small laugh. By now more then half the people in the hall were looking at the parcel and asking questions to one another. 'But I doubt I'm going to be able to hang it in the dorm. I might go and see McGonnagal later today and see what we can do.' And with that Clarissa got up and started collecting her things.  
  
'Hang on a sec Clara, I'll come too, I've got to send an owl home to mum and dad. Ron do you mind if I borrow Pig?' Hermione asked  
  
'Yeah sure go ahead, his owl treats are in the common room by the fire I think, it's the only way you'll get him to keep still.'  
  
'Thanks, see you in Transfiguration' Hermione said  
  
'Wingardium Leviosa ok you right to go, see you boys' Clarissa and Hermione walked out of the great hall with the heavy parcel floating in front of them. They were both conscious of the hundreds of eyes that were watching them and they picked up their pace eager to get away from the stares. Clarissa was especially waiting to get up to the dorm and rip the paper of her once best friend in the world. She made up her mind that after transfiguration she would ask McGonnagal about a possible place for her to keep up with her training. She didn't realise it until now but she missed kick boxing more then home its self.  
  
A/n: Hmmm these chaps are a bit short at the mo, but they'll get longer. I apologise if sentences don't make sense. I have been drastically changing the first two chaps cause I didn't like the originals. So with all the editing going on it may be a tad muddled. Plz R/R cause that with motivate me to write even more! 


	3. chapter 3

Ok I realise in the previous 2 chaps it is titled Breath of fresh air from down under. That was this story's old title. Its kinda stupid so I changed it, please just ignore it. And I also realise that I didn't include a disclaimer so here it is  
  
Disclaimer: obviously I own none of the characters you recognise. The ones you do recognise belong to J.K Rowling.  
  
Chapter 3: old time friend part2  
  
'McGonnagal gave me access to a room to practice! I can use it anytime I like as long as its before bed time' Clarissa said happily as she sat down next to Hermione who was by the fire  
  
'That's great. Is it an old class room or something' Hermione said looking up from her Arithmacy homework  
  
'No its some sort of old conference room they have or something. It's behind a portrait on the 4th floor and I have a password and everything. It's so cool' Clarissa said as Harry and Ron sat down beside her  
  
'What did you have to do to get McGonnagal to agree to that' Harry asked  
  
'Not much, just told the story like it is' Clarissa replied  
  
Early the next morning before breakfast Clarissa got her kick-boxing things together (gloves, tape) and levitated her punching bag all the way down to the 4th floor corridor to the painting of a young girl doing tapestry.  
  
'Oh, hello, can I help you?' the girl asked  
  
'Um yes, I've been given permission to use the room that you hold the entrance to' Clarissa said a little unsurely  
  
'Ooooh' the girl squealed ' I'm finally being put into use again, what do you want the password to be?' she asked  
  
'Er I don't know. any suggestions' Clarissa asked  
  
'Well I personally like "tapestry" but the teachers used to use names of dragons' the girl said  
  
'Right well, "tapestry" it is then' Clarissa said. The portrait swung open and she stepped inside. The room was dark but as she walked in the lanterns around the room magically ignited. The room wasn't much bigger then the classrooms but at one end of the room there was a raised platform with chairs in front of it. "Perfect" she thought. She'd hang the punching bag in the middle of the platform. Clarissa walked up to the platform and stepped onto it. This would defiantly suit! She used a Banishing spell on the chairs and they moved swiftly to either side of the room. Then looked above to see if there was a banister or some sort of rail she could hang her punching bag from. There wasn't. She gave a sigh then pulled out her wand.  
  
'Looks like I'll have to do what I used to back at Marshalls' she said to herself  
  
When she was at her old school the railing in her room wasn't strong enough to support the punching bag so she had suspended it in mid air with magic. It took a while to master the spell but now she was used to it.  
  
Once she had the bag sorted out she decided shed practice for a while. It felt so good being able to just hit something again. She felt as if all her anxiety, nervousness and uncertainty were leaving her with each punch. Kick boxing had always been her outlet for her emotions but she never had really appreciated it until now.  
  
She didn't realise the time going by and ended up missing breakfast and being late for Care of Magical Creatures. But to Clarissa it was worth it.  
  
Draco Malfoy was heading to History of Magic when as he turned the corridor he saw a girl climbing out of a portrait hole on the right-hand side of the corridor. As she turned around he realised that it was Clarissa.  
  
'Delaney?'  
  
Clarissa looked up and noticed that Malfoy had just seen her leave the portrait hole. Her stomach dropped. McGonnagal had told her to conceal the whereabouts of this room, and only herself, Harry, Ron, Hermione and the Professors knew where it was. She'd barely been able to hide it for a week. And who else but Draco Malfoy had to be the one who stuffed up the initial plan  
  
'Is it possible to make you believe you just imagined what you saw' she asked  
  
'Malfoy's are many things but stupid isn't one of them' he said with his trademark smirk. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall giving her an I-Caught-You-Up-To-Something look. 'And I'm guessing that wasn't the Gryffindor common room you came out of, so what's the deal?'  
  
'It's none of your business' Clarissa said flatly as she turned to walk away.  
  
'On the contrary, it is my business. I'm a prefect and it is my business if filthy Gryffindors are wondering in and out of secret portraits polluting not only the corridors of this school but the hidden passages also.'  
  
This stuck a chord with Clarissa, he had just called her filthy, and for some reason it stung. Well if there was one thing she knew how to do it was to sting back.  
  
'Prefect huh? Oh so you are' she said eyeing the badge she didn't notice before 'was Daddy able to buy you that position as well? Not unlike him buying you into the Slytherine Quidditch team?'  
  
She smiled inwardly. It was evident that Malfoy got stung much worse then she had. She almost regretted saying it. It was a fairly harsh thing to say. But he deserved it.  
  
He strode over to where she was. She contemplated backing up but got rid of that idea when she realised that was what he wanted. She stayed firmly rooted to the floor and held her head up high, not letting the fear in the pit of her stomach effect her outer expression.  
  
Malfoy paused a metre away from her. She stood her ground well and he was taken aback. Anyone else would have backed away. He stared at her, trying to read what she was really thinking. She certainly was a challenge. A challenge he enjoyed every minute of. Once again he could sense something else about her, but she hid it so well he couldn't tell what it was. Still, she had insulted his family and he wasn't about to let her get away with it.  
  
'You better watch it Delaney, don't talk about things you don't understand' he said in an icy tone.  
  
'No, you watch it. You throw your weight around this place thinking your some sort of god. And for some reason nearly everyone is scared of you. Well let me tell you something Draco Malfoy. I'm not' she said defiantly. She was not going to allow this spoiled brat to intimidate her.  
  
'Yes you are, your just a bloody good actor. But your not scared of me the way everyone else is, no. People are scared of me because I'm a Slytherine but above all a Malfoy and they all know I have no problems in harming them. But you, your scared of me cause you so god damn attracted to me.' He knew he was reaching. But he loved playing mind games with people, especially when they were as complex as Clarissa. But most of all he was interested in how she'd react.  
  
'I am no more attracted to you then I am to a slug Malfoy. You are so far of the mark with your "theory" that it's almost comical. I've got your number on this one Malfoy and let me tell you, it won't work.' Clarissa wasn't as pissed off as she made out to be. He must have quite an imagination. She almost had to laugh at that thought. Draco Malfoy having an imagination.that would imply that he had a creative side, and that was funny indeed!  
  
Malfoy looked at her intently and smirked. 'I didn't realise you were so keen on slugs' and with that he walked off leaving Clarissa mentally kicking herself for leaving herself wide open for that remark. Then she suddenly realised she was going to be late for the first class of the day. What was worse was that it was Transfiguration and Professor McGonnagal would not be impressed.  
  
**~~**  
  
'Hey Clara how come you were so late to Transfiguration?' Hermione asked at lunch. She would have asked when she was in class but McGonnagal was so angry with Clarissa for being late and without a valid excuse that she made her sit at the front of the class and gave her a detention.  
  
'Malfoy' Clarissa stated  
  
'Malfoy?' Harry and Ron exclaimed  
  
'Yeah, he decided to have a deep and meaningful in the corridor.' Clarissa said chuckling at how funny that sounded  
  
'What do you mean?' Hermione asked  
  
'Oh you know Malfoy, says a lot for someone who hasn't much to say. It was mainly bullshit, I don't really know what the point was' Clarissa said  
  
'You let us know if he's giving you a hard time alright, just say the words and we'll make him pay' Ron said seriously. He said it so seriously that it made Clarissa laugh. For some reason unknown to her she found it funny. The laughter became infectious and soon Malfoy was off everybody's minds.  
  
**~~**  
  
Detention was served with none other then her most disliked teacher Snape. Apparently he had requested for student help, and seeing as she was the only one with a detention on that particular day Clarissa got the job. A first years potion had exploded and Clarissa's job was to rid the classroom of all the potions remnants. Seeing as it was a detention, she had to do it without the aid of magic. It took her a whole 3 hours to clean the classroom. And for the whole time Snape was criticising her and telling her to clean spots over. He made her do the roof 4 times.  
  
By the time Clarissa was finished she was in a terrible mood. She had to stop herself from hexing Snape throughout her detention and now she had a whole lot of pent-up anger inside her. She felt like she was going to burst. The in hit her * of coarse! Why didn't I think of it before!!! *. And with that, she started at a run and was headed toward the 4th floor. 


End file.
